A major loss

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

It is another heat wave this week here and I am so not enjoying my life because of that. lol

Jeeeeez, bless you for not having a/c in this heat. We have our smart thermostat set at 85 during the day and even still when I get home I'm like O_O MUST TURN ON A/C AND CEILING FAN NOW!! Hope we get the rain this weekend to cool things off *fingers crossed*

I am so sorry to hear about your plants, SJF I hope you can recover some of them and save them! I only have 9 plants total but I would be devastated if that happened to me. Good luck! *hugs*

[AnonYMouse]

So sorry.

Temperature tolerant plants can only "tolerate" extremes for short periods. I live in a very pleasant climate (intermediate), we suffer extremes rarely but it just takes one hot spell or cold spell.

If you can forecast the weather, try to keep the plants dry/near dry during either extremes. Its hard to do if the spells lasts for days. I'm probably going to lose one of my "temperature tolerant" plants from the last heat wave (one week long) myself.

Good luck with the recovery.

[theroc1217]

I keep my cooler growing orchids in very little light in a tank on top of wet gravel in weather like this. You can also try putting two very large terracotta pots together with wet sand inbetween them, that will help keep them cool.

[NYCorchidman]

I have a/c. but I just hate this hot and sticky weather.

I have a/c and a large fan blowing at the same time.
Otherwise, I would have to move to North Pole.

[SJF]

Thank you for all of your suggestions and kind words. I drove all over looking for a systemic fungicide today. Couldn't find anything. I have Phyton 27 and Bonide Liquid Copper Fungicide spray. I will figure out which one will treat it better and spray away.

[Jayfar]

In the previous 2 summers I lost some Phals to fast-moving infections following humid heat waves, with temps well into the 90s. This spring I started adding Pro-Tekt silicon solution to my fertilizer mix and so far no losses, despite at least a couple of week long hot humid cycles. I can't say definitively whether that made the difference, as I know I've tweaked other variables as well, but its label claims include improved heat and drought tolerance and resistance to environmental stress.

Definitely if you already have bacterial or fungal infections in your midst you want to go with a systemic and Phyton 27 is one of those (follow all label precautions, especially when handling it in its pre-diluted form; rubber gloves required). It's a common recommendation to rotate different treatments, so the pathogens don't build up a resistance to treatment.


You also want to disinfect your growing benches/tables and other surfaces with a bleach solution or Physan 20.

I'm sitting in my living/plant room right now and it's 93F, but at least the humidity is only 50% RH. It was somewhat more humid last week.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

In the previous 2 summers I lost some Phals to fast-moving infections following humid heat waves, with temps well into the 90s. This spring I started adding Pro-Tekt silicon solution to my fertilizer mix and so far no losses, despite at least a couple of week long hot humid cycles. I can't say definitively whether that made the difference, as I know I've tweaked other variables as well, but its label claims include improved heat and drought tolerance and resistance to environmental stress.

Definitely if you already have bacterial or fungal infections in your midst you want to go with a systemic and Phyton 27 is one of those (follow all label precautions, especially when handling it in its pre-diluted form; rubber gloves required). It's a common recommendation to rotate different treatments, so the pathogens don't build up a resistance to treatment.


You also want to disinfect your growing benches/tables and other surfaces with a bleach solution or Physan 20.

I'm sitting in my living/plant room right now and it's 93F, but at least the humidity is only 50% RH. It was somewhat more humid last week.

Thank you. Sorry you have lost orchids too. It is crazy hot in our region right now. I will use the Phyton. Thanks

I will disinfect with Physan and try Pro-Tekt too. Do you think it can be added to Solo-E or should I use it the week in between the Solo?

I appreciate everyone's suggestions.

This has been a tough one. None of my friends grow orchids. That is what brought me to the OB. Some of them admire my plants when they flower, but don't believe in more than one or two houseplants. As much as they make like the flowers they can't be bothered with the work. They just buy fresh flowers to enjoy. I wish they would grow...I could beg for divisions after this disaster is well controlled.

[silken]

Good luck and I hope you get it under control quickly. I think it would be very disheartening. You have our sympathies here.

Do you belong to an orchid society? That's one way to have orchid growing friends

[SJF]

Originally Posted by silken

Good luck and I hope you get it under control quickly. I think it would be very disheartening. You have our sympathies here.

Do you belong to an orchid society? That's one way to have orchid growing friends

Thank you

No, I haven't joined one yet. My children are in so many activities. I carpool, most of the time, with other trusted parents, but I don't think I would be able to fit in many of the meetings. I don't know of many very close by and with my husband's work schedule he is seldom around to be home with the kids

[Discus]

Orchid Society meetings are usually only like once a month. Mom needs some mom-time sometimes. And I don't think anyone really minds if you can't make every meeting due to other commitments.

Our "local" orchid society is a ~160km round trip each time - a big use of time (and petrol!); it is fun though, and you certainly end up with some divisions and get many IRL orchid friends. They've recently started changing things from once a month lecture on Thursday evenings to once a month over the weekend having a "shadehouse/greenhouse" visit at various members' houses, which is super-interesting. Timing suits me better too!

I suspect the humidity was ultimately the problem (excessive heat won't help either, hot == fast "bug" growth) - totally saturated air (100% RH), no matter how much it moves, isn't going to "dry" anything, which leads to rots etc - aircon dries/dehumidifies air as well as cooling it.